Thread by @Indic_Vibhu

⚜️10 interesting facts about Bhagwan Kartikeya⚜️

1. 🌺The Handsome God

Kartikey Bhagwan is one of the most beautiful-looking and handsome gods. He is often described as exuding boyish charm yet with a serious face.

Often depicted as a calm & serene character,he had a face that resembled the full moon’s radiance.Thus,many parents keep their son’s name Kartikeya.

2. 🌺Born to kill Tarakasura

Asura named Tarakasura, who Brahma gave a boon that he would only be killed by the son of God Shiva.

This was soon after Sati’s death, so Tarakasura took it for granted that Shiva was sad and depressed and would not get remarried. Hence, he would not have a son without a wife. However, Lord Murugan manifested for the sole purpose of killing Tarakasura.

3. 🌺The Shanmukha

Shiva married Goddess Parvati. Once he took her to a cave and asked her to meditate. As they both meditated, a ball of fire emerged out of their cosmic energies.

In the meantime, the other Gods being insecure from Tarakasura, sent Agni, or the God of fire, to get hold of the ball of fire. But even Agni couldn’t bear the heat of the energy of Shiva and Parvati. So, He handed over the ball to Goddess Ganga.

When even Ganga couldn’t bear the heat, She deposited the fireball into a lake in a forest of reeds.Finally, the fireball took the form of a baby with six faces – Eesanam, Sathpurusham, Vamadevam, Agoram, Sathyojatham, and Adhomugam, and hence the name Shanmuga or Shadanan.

Kartikeya was cared for by six women symbolizing Pleiades ( Kritika in Sanskrit) and thus got the name Kartikeya.

4. 🌺His Mount and his Symbol

The Vehicle he rides is a peacock called Paravani. Kartikeya, also known as Murugan in Southern India, is mounted on a peacock. This peacock was originally an Asura called Surapadma, while the rooster was called the angel, Krichi.

After provoking Murugan in combat, Surapadma repented at the moment his lance descended upon him. He took the form of a tree and began to pray. The tree was cut in two.

From one half, Murugan pulled a rooster, which he made his emblem, and from the other, a peacock, which he made his mount.

5. 🌺Symbolism of his idol

If you look at the idol of Kartikeya, on the one hand, He carries a spear. It is also called Vel. It is not a trident.

It is not a trident. It is symbolic of the Kundalini Shakti.

In another version, Tarakasur was defeated by Kartikeya. So, Tarakasur became a chicken or rooster after being defeated by Kartikeya.

After defeating Taraka in battle, Kartikeya spared his life and asked him what boon he desired. Taraka prayed to always be at the feet of Murugan, and so Kartikeya made him the emblem on his flag. This also means that the ego should always be kept subdued.

6. 🌺Swaminatha – The Guru of Shiva

Once Kartikeya asked Brahma to explain the meaning of Om.Brahma explained to him, but he was not satisfied.Later, when Shiva asked, he explained the whole episode to him. Shiva said that he must learn from Brahma, as he is the supreme creator.

To this, Kartikeya replied, ‘Then you tell me, what is the meaning of Om?’ Hearing this, Shiva smiled and said, ‘Even I don’t know.’ Kartikeya said, ‘Then I will tell you because I know the meaning of Om.’

Shiva said, ‘Then tell me the meaning since you know it.’

To this Kartikeya replied,‘I can’t tell you like this. You have to give me the place of the Guru. Only if you put me on the pedestal of the Guru can I tell you’, said Kartikeya.

Shiva knew that Guru means he must be in a higher position or platform.

So, then Bhagwan Shiva lifted the young Kartikeya onto His shoulders. And then, in the ear of Shiva, Kartikeya explained the meaning of the Pranava Mantra (Om).

Kartikeya said ‘That the entire Creation is contained in Om.The Trinity –Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva are contained in Om.

This is the essence &also the secret of Om that Kartikeya narrated to Shiva.’

Upon hearing this,Maa Parvati was elated with joy & said,‘U have become a Guru(Swami) to my Lord (Natha).

Saying this,she addressed her son as Swaminath & hence Kartikey came to be known as Swaminath.

7. 🌺He was married to Amritavalli and Saundaravalli : two daughters of Sri Vishnu, born from his eyes.

They developed an undying love for Skanda and performed severe austerities to obtain him as a husband.

At Skanda’s instructions, Amritavalli incarnated as Devasena, under the guardianship of Indra in Swarga.Saundaravalli took the form of Valli,a lass under the protection of Nambiraja, a hunter near Kanchipuram. ‘Valli’ is a Tamil term for the Sanskrit ‘Lavali,’a kind of a creeper.

As she was found among the creepers as a baby, the hunter called her ‘Valli.’ After the war with Surapadma was over, the devas were overjoyed. Skanda acceded to Indra’s prayer to accept Devasena as his consort.

The divine wedding was celebrated with great enthusiasm at Tirupparankundram near Madurai in the presence of Parvati and Siva. Indra’s re-coronation in Amaravati in Swarga followed, and Devas regained their power and positions. Skanda took his home in Skandagiri.

He then proceeded to Tiruttani near Chennai,where Valli was looking after barley fields.After a series of sportive love pranks, he married her. His preferred weapon is the Vel or spear, hence the popular name Velayudhan, whose weapon is a spear.

8. 🌺Festivals Honouring Kartikey

Sharad Purnima, also known as Kumara Purnima, celebrated on the full moon day after Vijayadashami, is one of the popular festivals dedicated to Kartikeya in Odisha.

It is believed that unmarried girls worship Kartikeya on this day to get grooms as handsome as Kartikeya.

Another major holiday dedicated to the worship of Kartikeya is Thaipusam.

It is believed that on this day, Goddess Parvati presented a lance to Murugan to defeat the demon army of Tarakasura and combat their evil deeds. Therefore, Thaipusam is a celebration of the victory of good over evil.

9. 🌺Dev Senapati: God of War

He is also called ‘Dev Senapati’ and ‘Yuddharanga.’ Kartikeya, the god of war and general of the army of the gods, is known for his extraordinary strength and skills.

He was perfection personified,extremely brave and intelligent & highly skillful in the art of war.He is considered the commander in chief of devas as he was mainly created to destroy demons that symbolize negative human tendencies.

10. 🌺Kartikeya in Buddhism and Jainism

Skanda has been an important deity in the Theravada Buddhism pantheon in Sri Lanka and Thailand. The Nikaya Samgraha describes Skanda Kumara as a guardian deity of the land, along with Upulvan (Vishnu), Saman, and Vibhisana.

In Chinese Buddhism, Skanda has been portrayed as Weituo, a young heavenly general, the guardian deity of local monasteries, and the protector of the Buddhist dhamma.

Korean Buddhism also adopted Skanda, and he appears in its woodblock prints and paintings.

The Jain deity Naigamesa also referred to as Hari-Naigamesin, is depicted in early Jain texts as riding the peacock and the leader of the divine army, which are both symbols of Kartikeya.

🙏🌺⚜️🚩

Courtesy: Vedic Feed